Israel Seizes Two Gaza-bound Ships

Forces of Israeli Navy have taken over two ships that were carrying humanitarian aids to the Gaza strip. 27 pro-Palestine activists were on board the ships.

The forces warned the activists on board to change course when they were 50 miles away from Gaza but they continued on. The vessels were then intercepted and led to the port of Ashdod.

“Following their unwillingness to cooperate, and after ignoring calls to divert to the port of Ashdod, the decision was made to board the vessels and lead them there”, Ahram quoted an official statement by Israeli army as saying.

The two Gaza-bound ships, the Canadian "Tahrir" and Irish "Saoirse", were the most recent attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, the Washington Post reported.

”Israel had no right to intercept #FreedomWaves to Gaza. This is blatant piracy and hijacking in front of the whole world,” wrote the official twitter account of the Canadian boat after being stopped.

“The Canadian govt [government] should be demanding protection of Canadian ship and citizens, not defending criminal Israeli policy,” the account tweeted.